Halloween Hacker

"It looks like a ceremony of some sort, maybe the anointing of a king?"

"King David, maybe?" Chris offered.

"Probably. Looks to be a harp sitting on the ground next to him, and David was said to be a fantastic musician."

"Yeah, a regular Brian May," Chris retorted, earning a laugh from Evie. "I don't get it, though. What's the connection here?"

"Dunno. Let's check out that pedestal up ahead, see if it has any clues."

The pair shined their lights ahead and approached the pedestal, which came up to Chris's stomach. It was manmade and appeared to be carved from the same halite stone found throughout the Dead Sea region. Surrounding the pedestal was a pool of water and on the wall behind it was a slab of stone with three words carved in it.

"Huh, it's Hebrew. Think you can translate it?" Evie asked.

"Yeah, let's see... piety, celibacy, and community. That's what it says. Seems odd to me. Any thoughts?"

"Wait... that's it!"

"Huh? What's it?"

"Piety, celibacy, and community!" Evie exclaimed, giddy as a schoolgirl. "Those were the chief virtues of the Essene people, who lived in this area about 100 BC. They're the ones who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls!"

"Yeah, but how does that connect to any of this? I thought you said the Dead Sea Scrolls aren't the treasure we're looking for?"

"Follow me on this," Evie said, beginning to pace back and forth. "So, the Essenes were a branch of Jews that valued traditions and rituals above all else. They were devoted, hell, their priests weren't even allowed to marry or have sex! Most historians agree that they descended from the Zadokite priests. Zadok," she continued, walking over to one of the murals, "is right here! He oversaw the anointing of King David!"

"Damn, that's impressive! But, what about Moses? What's the connection to him?"

Evie grinned. "Because Moses isn't the focus of this mural, Aaron is. And according to Jewish teachings, Zadok is descended from Aaron himself! These murals are showing us the lineage of the Essene people!"

"There's something else," Chris said, standing at the pedestal. "This pedestal has an indention in it. It's a perfect circle -- looks about the right size for a certain cherub."

"Mate, you're a bloody genius!" Evie replied, pulling the statuette from her bag. "Let's see what else you have in store for us, my little friend."

Evie's hand trembled a bit as she reached for the pedestal. She could feel it; they were on the verge of a massive find. Her dad had given his life protecting this secret. She owed it to him to finish what he started. Holding her breath, she placed the statuette in the pedestal, pressed down, and... nothing. Nothing happened at all.

"Bloody hell..."

"We've gotta be missing something," Chris muttered. "You said the Essenes valued traditions and rituals above all else?"

"Yeah. They lived a communal life, almost monastic. They had a pseudo-socialist society, sharing belongings, never engaging in trade, and they believed in the sanctity of their rituals. Among the most important of their rituals was that of purification by water."

"Hey, look at this," he said, shining his flashlight on the statuette. "Looks like a few holes opened in the top of the pedestal when you put the cherub in." After poking a finger in each of them, he continued, "No buttons or mechanisms. Wonder what we're supposed to do with this?"

"Wait a sec... purification by water!" Evie realized.

"Huh?"

"Purification by water was one of the most important rituals of the Essenes! That's got to be the key! Here, help me."

Evie opened her backpack and grabbed a large square piece of cloth from it. She then had Chris kneel down at the pool of water with her, each holding a corner of the cloth to form a bucket for the water. As they poured it over the statuette, the pedestal began to lower. After three or four repetitions of this, the pedestal at last sunk into the ground completely, causing the wall with the three Hebrew words to slide away and reveal their path forward.

"We did it!" Evie giggled.

"You did it," Chris replied. "I'm just the sidekick, remember?"

"Fuck that. After all this, you're a full-fledged partner. Come on, let's see where this goes."

Wondering something, Chris asked, "So, why all these references to the Essenes? Did they discover something here and seal it off for some reason?"

"Looks like it," said Evie. "That statuette was the key in case they ever needed to come back here. My guess is they decided whatever they found here was too precious to risk it getting out. To that end, they hid every landmark that could lead an outsider here, maybe even hid the Dead Sea Scrolls elsewhere in the region to distract would-be treasure hunters."

"That would make sense. Those scrolls are priceless today, but they'd have been relatively cheap insurance to the Essenes."

"Now, shall we find out what was so worth hiding?" Evie grinned.

"Let's."

The pair made their way down another winding path, progressing slowly and steadily to ensure they weren't caught off-guard by anything. After all, they were entering an area that seemed to be a massive secret that nobody was meant to discover. Booby traps had to be expected. But to their surprise, they encountered no further resistance for several long minutes, allowing them to relax a bit. Still, as they traveled deeper underground, neither could shake an unsettling feeling.

"Evie, this may sound odd, but-"

"It's like we're being watched, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yeah. I have a bad feeling about this," Chris muttered.

The pair soon emerged into a spacious room of the cave, littered with stalactites across the ceiling. They shined their flashlights in every direction to get a sense of where to go next, but there were several possible paths to take and no indication as to which one was correct. As they pondered the situation, Chris noticed a flash of something coming from the stalactites above.

"Evie, do those look like... eyes?"

"Um..."

Before they could react, Chris and Evie were surrounded by a quartet of humanoid forms, each carrying a spear and shield. Each one appeared at least seven feet tall and were likely even taller, as they were hunched over in fighting stances. At first, Chris could only make out their yellow eyes, but upon shining his flashlight on one of them, he saw that they did indeed appear to be oversized humans. The only difference was their lack of hair and their skin, which had a rough stony appearance to it, like a less extreme version of the Thing from the Fantastic Four comic books. Yet in spite of their hulking appearance, the four creatures did not advance any further, instead going down onto one knee with their stone shields held in front of them.

"Shit," Evie muttered, reaching for her weapons.

"No! Don't!" Chris said, taking her hand in his. "They aren't attacking us, see?"

"And you think that's gonna last?"

"Just hang on a sec."

In his mind, Chris was beginning to realize that there was something familiar about this scene. He reasoned that it must be part of the events of the game, so he decided to do something unthinkable: he copied the creatures. After going down on one knee as they had done, Chris saw that the four eyed him with interest before shifting their collective gaze to Evie.

"Hey, do like they do," Chris whispered.

"And what if they attack us?" Evie replied through clenched teeth.

"They won't, not according to what I just remembered."

"Fine," she sighed.

The moment Evie's knee touched the ground, the four creatures looked at each other and began to communicate in a strange language. Still, their movements never once became aggressive, helping Chris and Evie breathe a bit easier. As they continued to converse, the four soon stood and motioned for the two humans to do the same.

"Wait a minute... I know what they're saying," Chris said.

"What? How?"

"It's Hebrew! They're speaking Hebrew! It's hard to understand, but I recognize parts of it, or at least, the Jeremiah part of me does. They're agreeing not to harm us and they want us to follow them."

As the four moved a bit deeper into the cave, Evie wondered, "What the bloody hell are they? Where did they come from?"

"I don't know, but if we want to find out, I'd suggest we go with them. They seem to be the only ones that know the way forward, anyway."

"I hope you're right about this."

*****

"Have you found anything?"

"Negative, General. No sign of them."

Yosef snorted in frustration. "They must have come this way. Bring out the scanners!"

Three of Yosef's men fetched their ground-penetrating radars, or GPRs, and began to scan the area surrounding Mount Sodom. For quite some time, they found nothing out of the ordinary, but one of the lieutenants soon found something of interest.

"General! Over here!"

"Yes? What did you find?" Yosef asked.

"This stone appears to be hollow. There may be a path beneath it."

"I knew it," Yosef whispered with a grin.

"I will have the men search this area for a way to gain access."

"No, no need," Yosef replied, waving him off. "Fetch the dynamite."

*****

Chris and Evie continued to follow the four creatures down one of the tunnels. They twisted and turned for what seemed like ages, traveling so far underground that their ears began to pop. Eventually, the tunnel began to widen, until they at last arrived in a massive cavern the likes of which Evie had never seen on any of her adventures. The group stood atop a cliff overlooking a vast city with stone houses and buildings stretching as far as the eye could see. Below, they could see more of the stone creatures working, trading, and going about their daily lives.

"What is this place?" Evie gasped.

"I guess we're about to find out," Chris replied, seeing their escorts descend a staircase.

They continued to follow the sentries through the city streets, in awe of the inhabitants and their actions. They were clearly not human, yet they acted human in almost every way, conversing with each other, trading goods and services, and even walking with their families. The entire experience was surreal and supernatural, yet completely ordinary at the same time. Soon, the group arrived in what appeared to be the central square of the city and Evie and Chris were led to a large monolith in the center.

"Incredible! Chris, look at these carvings! They match the statuette!"

"Is that what I think it is?" Chris wondered, inspecting the stone monolith. "It is! The symbol for Sodom! This has to be it!"

"An astute observation," came a gravelly voice behind them.

The pair spun around to find one of the stone creatures standing behind them. Though he was still tall, his appearance was significantly more weathered than his fellows. The stones on his skin were smoother and had more marbling to them; whoever he was, he had clearly been around for a long time.

"Apologies, I did not mean to frighten you. I am Lot, Chief of this city. Welcome," he said, extending a hand to them.

"Thank you. Chris Samson."

"Evie Granger."

"We're honored to be here," Chris said, shaking Lot's hand. Noticing a strange residue on his own hand, Chris wondered, "Wait, is this salt?"

"Indeed," Lot replied, taking a seat on a nearby bench.

"So, you and your people are made of halite, the same substance found throughout this region?" Evie chimed in.

Lot chuckled and nodded. "We have not seen humans in two millennia, but when we do, the ones we encounter seem to be quite intelligent. This pleases me."

"Thank you. You said you last saw humans two millennia ago? Does that mean you met the Essene people?" Evie said.

"Indeed. This is how my people learned their language. But aside from that, I am over three-hundred years old. I have had time enough to study many subjects, including the languages of the world. Please, sit," Lot answered, gesturing to the neighboring bench.

Sitting next to Evie, Chris asked, "Is this place what I think it is? Is this really what's left of Sodom and Gomorrah?"

"You do now stand in the great city of Sodom, and we are the Children of Sodom, descended from the inhabitants that caused our downfall so long ago," said Lot.

"Incredible. But I must know, why did you not attack us?" wondered Evie. "How did your men know we pose no threat to you?"

"In truth, they did not. They acted as they did when they found you because it is required as a part of our penance."

"Penance? How so?" Chris asked, but Lot gave only a knowing smile in reply.

"Don't think he's gonna tell us, mate," Evie chuckled. "Let's see, according to legend, Sodom and Gomorrah committed many sins, but the final straw came when God sent two of his angels into the cities disguised as men. Upon their arrival, the citizens treated them poorly, with only Lot showing them any hospitality."

"Hospitality! That's it!" Chris realized. "The four soldiers we met were showing us hospitality in not attacking us right away. They gave us the chance to prove we meant no harm, and when we did, they brought us into their home!"

"Is that the penance you mentioned?" Evie asked.

"It is," said Lot. "Our ancestors were quite wicked in their ways, but it was this final act of hostility to visitors that doomed them. Only one foresaw what their actions would bring. If only his warnings had been heeded..."

"Is that why you've taken Lot's name for yourself?" asked Chris.

"It is tradition. All who have become Chief of our people take Lot's name in the hopes that his wisdom will be poured onto them. And you are correct. Ever since the day our city was brought to ruin, we as a people have vowed to never again show unnecessary hostility to strangers and visitors."

"We're really standing in Sodom and Gomorrah!" Chris marveled.

"This is the discovery of a million lifetimes," Evie agreed.

"Perhaps, but not as you may believe," said Lot. "Yes, you do stand in the city of Sodom, but it seems Gomorrah has been mistranslated throughout the centuries."

"What do you mean? Wasn't Gomorrah the city next to Sodom?" Chris asked.

Lot hesitated before replying, "I trust you, but what I am about to tell you, you cannot reveal to anyone. Is that understood?"

"You have our word," Evie said, taking Chris's hand.

Lot nodded. "Gomorrah is not a place, not as the legends have told it. No, Gomorrah is an object that my ancestors came into possession of, though to this day, we do not know how. It is a gemstone containing untold amounts of unnatural power. My ancestors, in their shortsightedness, turned it into a mighty weapon. I have come to believe this is the reason God sent his angels among us all those centuries ago. He needed to see what sort of people possessed so powerful a weapon. When they revealed their true nature, God had no choice but to destroy them, lest they use the Gomorrah for conquest and war.

"God struck the high hills surrounding the city with lightning from the sky, starting a landslide great enough to bury the city. My ancestors used the Gomorrah in a desperate attempt to halt the impending doom, but to no avail; their demise was God's will. Thus, they turned the weapon onto the only individuals wise enough to leave the city in time: Lot and his family. While Lot and his two daughters avoided the attack, his wife took a direct hit from the Gomorrah's power. The resulting blast of energy was so powerful that it altered the poor woman's entire body into that of salt rock."

"Which is how the legend of the pillar of salt began," Chris nodded.

"Precisely. However, the Gomorrah's power was so great that it could not be properly contained by mere mortals, not in the way they had used it. In weaponizing it, the power radiating from the gemstone was such that it also afflicted the people of Sodom. Their bodies began to change in the same way as Lot's wife. By the time the landslide reached the city, the people had become what you now see before you."

"What happened to the Gomorrah?" Evie asked.

Lot pointed to a tall tower on the far side of the city. "It resides there from now on. We have removed the weaponized parts that our ancestors added to it, though it still possesses untold destructive power. Now, our very existence is connected to it. Were it destroyed, the Children of Sodom would crumble into dust. Our lives are tied to it, yet there is much of the Gomorrah we still do not understand. Some of our legends say that it is only destructive in the hands of the unrighteous. If a good person with a righteous heart were to wield it, some believe that it could become a force for good, perhaps even an object of wish fulfillment. Of course, these are but legends."

At that moment, the ground shook from a powerful blast of some sort. As Chris and Evie stood and looked back towards the cliff from which they had entered the city, their hearts sank at what they saw. A hole had been blasted in the ceiling of the cave, allowing six Keystone mercenaries to rappel in from above.

"Shit! They found us!" Chris cursed.

"Chief, you need to know that these men are not friends to you. They will kill any who stand in the way of their goal, and I believe the Gomorrah is their goal," Evie said.

Lot waved them off. "It matters not. We have a duty to fulfill."

They watched with bated breath as a group of Lot's warriors surrounded the Keystone mercenaries. As before, the Children of Sodom kept their weapons at the ready and went down on one knee in an act of nonaggression. At first, it seemed to work; the Keystone thugs were confused by their act, yet did not move to attack them. But after a moment, one of the thugs noticed a pile of gold coins at his feet and moved to take them. A warrior moved to place his hand between the thug and the coins as a message not to steal what wasn't his, but the trigger-happy mercenaries took this as all the reason they needed to initiate hostilities.

Keystone opened fire on the Children of Sodom, obliterating two of them in short order and forcing the rest to retreat and take up defensive positions. Hearing the gunfire above, two more of the Children of Sodom climbed up to another cliff overlooking the city and began to ring a pair of massive bells. The deafening sound alerted every last citizen of Sodom that they were under attack. Within thirty seconds, every rooftop of every building in the city had a warrior stationed on top. Seeing his citizens prepared for battle, Lot turned to Chris and Evie.

"It is time for you to leave, my friends. This is not your fight."

"You bet your bloody arse it's our fight!" Evie spat.

"I agree," said Chris. "Even if only by accident, we led Keystone here. We'll help you fight them off. It's the least we can do."

"Hmm... very well." Now turning to the rest of his city, Lot bellowed in Hebrew, "CHILDREN OF SODOM! TO ARMS!"

In an instant, the Children of Sodom had transformed from unassuming humanoids to deadly warriors with a fearsome appearance. Where their skin had been pebbly before, it was now rugged and craggy with stone spikes jutting out of every one of their limbs. Their shields and spears, also made of stone, increased in size and seemed to become extensions of their bodies. In spite of Keystone's superior weaponry, the Children of Sodom appeared ready for anything.

By now, all remaining members of Keystone had rappelled in through the hole in the ceiling, including Yosef Ahmad himself. Yosef gave a quick series of instructions and the thugs split up into three groups. One group charged down the stairs and into the city head-on, ready to cut down anyone who stood in their way. A second team stayed behind on the cliff to keep their escape route secure. Finally, Yosef led the small final group, following a bit behind the first group to allow them to clear the way.

As Keystone reached the bottom of the stairs and entered the city proper, the first line of defense for the Children of Sodom met them with a wall of stone shields. Now that they had transformed into their complete warrior forms, the Children of Sodom were not so easily dispatched, even in the face of modern weaponry. Seeing this, Yosef ordered two of his men onto the roof of a nearby building, whereupon they began to assault the stone warriors with explosives. Powerful as the Children of Sodom were, even they could not withstand the concussive power of a grenade launcher. As Evie, Chris, and Lot arrived to aid in the battle, Keystone had already managed to open a hole for Yosef and his team to slip through in the midst of the chaos.